Artificial eyes for dolls, display figures, and the like



APPLICATION FILED DEC.3I, I918- RENEWED APR. 8, I922.

Patented Oct. 31

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

anuamtoz S."MARCUS. ARTIFICIAL EYES FOR DOLLS, DISPLAY FIGURES, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.3I. I918. RENEWED APR. 8, I922.

IIIIIIIHI Patented Uct. 31, 1922.

UNITED STATES SAMUEL MARCUS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO F. & M.

PATENT OFFICE.

NOVELTY CO. INC,

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ARTIFICIAL EYES FOR DOLLS, DISPLAY FIGURES, AND THE LIKE.

Application filed December 31, 1918, Serial No. 269,082. Renewed April 8, 1922. Serial No. 550,794.

T all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, SAMUEL MAnoUs, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Artificial Eyes for Dolls, Display Figures, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of eyes for dolls and other purposes, such as display-figures, and the in vention has several purposes in view, one being to produce a novel eye, another to provide novel means for connecting and mounting in the head of the doll a pair of eyes and another being to furnish novel cooperative means for permitting the eyes to turn up and down and also laterally, so that the eyes may have a substantially universal movement during the handling of the doll. A further purpose of the invention is to provide pro-per eyelids for the eyes, with means for assuring their turning up and down during the handling of the doll. The eye itself, apart from the means by which the eyes may be connected up and secured within the head of a doll, comprises an inner hollow shell, preferably of metal, having a fiat front surface bearing an imitation of the iris of an eye and an exterior or outer substantially hemispherical shell of transparent celluloid or like material applied over and enclosing the metal shell. pair of eyes may be so connected up as to roll to closed position when the doll is turned from a vertical to a horizontal position and also to roll to open position when the doll is turned from a horizontal to a vertical position, and also to roll laterally in either direction according to the position which may be given to the doll.

The invention and suitable mechanisms for carrying the same into efi'ect, will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the face of a doll andeye mechanism embody- The Fig. 3 is a to view of the dolls eye mech anism shown in Fig, 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the same, taken on the dotted line 4-4: of Fig. 2, the eyes however being shown as turned lat'irally; from the front position indicated in 1g.

Fig. 5 1s a vertical central section, partly broken away, through one of the eyes taken on the dotted line 5'5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the inner hollow shell embraced in each of the eyes and having a flat front bearing an imprint of the iris of'the eye;

Fig. 7 is a corresponding view of the outer transparent celluloid o like cap-material shell closely applied upon the inner shell shown in Fig. 6, but. of convex outline and not fitting against said flat front of said shell indicated in Fig. 4; t

Fig. 8 is a' rear elevation, partly broken away, of one of the eyes and connecting bar;

F 1g. 9 is a horizontal section through the mechanism connected with the eyes taken on In the drawings, 15 indicates the face por;

tion of the head of an ordinary doll, and 16, 17 indicate, respectively,.the right eye and left eye for the doll. The eyes 16, 17

are of. substantially corresponding construe tion, and each eye has an inner substan tially hemispherical metal shell 18 having a flat front surface 19 bearing-an imprint 20 representing the iris of an eye. The metal shell 18 is slotted at its inner edge, as at 21, to receive the end portion of the brid e or connecting bar 22. Each of the eyes is also formed with an outer substantially hemisphericalti'ansparent celluloid shell 23, which closely fits upon the metal shell 18, with the exception that at its front said shell 23 is convex, thereby leaving a space, which 1 number 24, between the front of the shell 23 and the fiat front 19 of the shell mounted within the metal shell 18.

18. The shell 23 is slotted at its inner edge. as at 25, to match the slot 21 in the shell 18, and thereby provide means for the reception of the end portion of the cross-bar 22. Each eye is provided with an inner vertical bar or post 26 which has a small recess in its upper and also in its lower end, into which recesses upper and lower edge portions of the metal shell 18 are depressed or indented, as shown in Fig. 5, whereby the post 26 becomes pivotally and permaner i tlly 1e posts 2-6 of the eyes 16, 17 are horizontally apertured to receive the ends of the bridge or cross-bar 22 and each post is provided with aset-screw 27 adapted to pass horizontally into the same and engage the end portion of the cross-bar 22, whereby said bar 22 becomes connected with and connects the pair of eyes 16, 17. The set-screw 27 admitsof the angular adjustment of the eyes on the cross-bar 22 so as to adapt said eyes for correct position in the head of a doll notwithstanding some irregularities that may happen to be in said head. The pivot posts 26 admit, on and due to the rotary movement of the pivotally mounted bridge 22, an up and down rolling movement of the eyes under changes in the position of the doll and being by preference pivotally connected with the shells 18 of the eyes, also admit of the eyes having a lateral or sideways turning movement under certain positions that may be given to the doll. The posts 26 also materially strengthen the eyes and thus prevent, the same from being injured by rough handling of the doll. The posts 26 and screws 27 also admit of the lateral adjustment of the eyes 16, 17, on the bridge or cross-bar 22, and this is sometimes of importance in enabling the eyes to be adjusted to meet the locations of the openings in the face of the doll for the eyes.

The bridge or cross-bar 22 is pivotally suspended in cars 28 formed at opposite side edges of the lower portion of a metal plate 29 whose upper end is fastened by shellac or other suitable substance 30 to the inner surface of the forehead of the dolls face above the eye-sockets, and hence said cross-bar 22, posts 26 and the eyes connected therewith may have a movement permitting the eyes 16, 17 to roll upwardly or downwardly.

The metal shells 18 of the eyes 16, 17 are respectively formed with or have secured theretorearwardly projecting arms 31 which are rigid with the shells 18 and extend rearwardly and one arm 31 is pivotally connected with one member 32 .of a transverse bar comprising said member 32 and a member 33, which is pivotally connected with the other arm 31. The member 33 is formed with a'clasp 34 which engages the member 32 and permits of the adjustment of the members 32, 33 toward and from each other as the requirements may demand, there be ing suflicien't frictional engagement of the clasp 34 with the member 32 to maintain said members in their adjusted relation and this nism, serving to turn the eyes in one direction when the doll is turned to one side and in the other direction when the doll is turned to the other side. I provide the metal eye-members 18 with rearwardly extending arms 36 which may be bent down against and secured to the posts 26 as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 8, when it is not desired that the eyes 16, 17 should have a sidewise or lateral movement. When the arms 36 are fastened against the posts 26, the eyes 16, 17 may have adownward and upward rolling motion, accordin to usual custom, but will be prevented rom having side-wise or lateral motion, such as represented in Fig. 4.

The bridge or cross-bar 22 passes through elongated openings in the ears 28, as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 10, and the plate 29, on which said ears 28 are formed, is provided with a spring having two legs 37 whose lower ends bear against the bridge or crossbar 22 and tend to bind the eyes 16, 17 carried by said .bar against the eye-sockets formed in the face of the doll, thereby maintaining the eyes in proper relation to said sockets. The elongation of the openings in the ears 28 through which the bridge or cross-bar 22 passes, permits said bar, with the eyes carried thereby, to yield rearwardly to anyirregularity or lack of uniformity in the surfaces surrounding the eye-sockets of the dolls face, and this I regard as a feature of importance, since dolls faces are sometimes irregular around the eye sockets 4 due to defectsor irregularities in the manufacture of the dolls head. The elongated openings in the ears 28 combined with the spring legs 37 perform the desirable function of adapting the eyes to irregularities in the eye sockets of the dolls face and also to maintain-the eyes in correct relation to the eye sockets.

' The eyes 16, 17 may, in one embodiment of my invention, be provided with metal eyelids 38, which are of arcuate outline and of said eyes and have arms 39 which extend closely arranged against the upper portions downwardly and forwardly and are apertured to receive the end portions of the bridge or cross-bar 22, whereby said eye-lids 38 become pivotally mounted on said bridge or cross-bar. When the eye-lids 38 are employed, the actuating weight 40 for rolling the eyes and said lids will be connected by arms 41 with the rear edge portions of said lids, so that when the doll is caused'to re-' cline, the weight 40 may swing inwardly and act to close the lids 38 downwardly over the eyes and also so that when the doll is lifted up,the weight 40 will swing towards the inner surface of'the face of the doll and act to turn the lids 38 to open position. The

weight 40 may be provided with a pad 14 to cushion the blow of the weight 40 against the face of the doll.

The weight 40 in the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive also serves as means for causing the e es 16, 17 to roll downwardly or upwardly in accordance with the position given to the doll, and in carrying out this feature of the operation I rigidly secure on the bridge or cross-bar 22 a wire member 42 which "normally extends downwardly and forwardly from said bridge or cross-bar toward the face of the doll and has a rearwardly extending arm 43 equipped with a hook member 44, which passes between the arms 41 connected with the weight 40 and is adjacent to the crotch 45 where said arms 41 come together and thence extend downwardly to the weight 40, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the doll is reclined so that the weight starts rearwardly or in that case downwardly from the face of the doll, said weight will first operate to partly turn the lids 38 to closed position, and then when the adjoining portions of the arms 41 reach and act against the hook 44 of the arm 42, the weight 40 will, through said arm 42 and bridge or cross-bar 22, operate to roll the eyes 16, 17 downwardly. When the doll is restored to vertical position, the weight 40 and its connections serve to move the lids 38 to open position, and the weight 40 and its connections also serve to assist the eyes in having their upward rolling motion or to open position.

I do not limit my invention to' the presence of the eye-lids 38, since these eye-lids may not be desired by all manufacturers of dolls owing to the fact that they add to the expense 'of the eye equipment.

When I do not wish to apply the eye-lids 38 to the eyes, I utilize the construction shown more particularly in Figs. 10 and 11 inwhich all of the features of the construction shown in Fig. 2 are employed, with the exception of the eye-lids, the arm 42 and the arms 41 suspending the weight 40, and in lieu of connecting the weight, which in FigslO and 11 1 number 46, with eye-lids,

'l'connect the same directly and rigidly by 16, 17 to performtheir upwardly anddownwardly rolling motion in a manner well understood.

The separation of the convex front of the outer shell 23 from the flat front of the inner body of the eye bearing the imprint of an iris adds greatly to the appearance of the eye when positioned in a dolls head, and said body around the iris will be coated white. A

1 therefore do not limit my invention to all of the details of form and construction illustrated, since it is obvious from the foregoing description that many of these details may be modified without departure from my invention.

.What I claim as my invention and de sire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A pair of eyes for a doll and the like, a bridge connecting the eyes, a plate supporting said bridge and to be fastened to the inner front surface of the dolls head,-

and a spring secured on said plate and engaging said bridge in a direction to yieldingly-press the eyes against the eye-sockets, said bridge being adapted to have a partial rotary movement and also to have movement toward and from the front of the dolls head independently of said plate.

2. A pair of eyes for a doll, a plate to be fastened to the inner surface of the dolls head, means connecting said eyes and pivotally mounted on said plate and supporting the eyes therefrom, and a spring secured on said plate and engaging said supporting means in a direction to yieldingly press the eyes against the eye-sockets, said supporting means being adapted to have a partial rotary movement, being pivotally are 3. A pair of eyes for a doll and the like, 7

a bridge connecting the eyes, a plate hold.

fastened to .the inner surface of the dolla head, and a spring mounted on said plate and engaging said bridge in a direction to press the eyes against the eye-sockets, said plate having ears containing elongated openings through which said bridge passes.

4. A pair of eyes for a doll and the like, a bridge connecting the eyes, a plate having elongated openings through which the bridge freely asses and which plate is adapted to be astened to the inner surface of the dolls head, and a spring mounted on said plate and having legs engaging said bridge at each side of the center thereof in a direction to yieldingly press the eyes against the eye-sockets.

5. A pair of eyes for a doll and the like,

'ing sa1d bridge and being adapted to be lib . said eyes comprising inner and outer substantially hemispherical shells recessed at their inner facing side portions, vertical posts secured at their upper and lower ends within said inner shells and having transverse openings and thereat set-screws, a bridge extending-through said recesses and said openings and secured to said posts by said screws, means for pivotally supporting said bridge within the dolls head, and a weight for turning said bridge on its longitudinal axis to effect the rolling motion of the eyes.

6. A pair of eyes for a doll and the like, saidcyes comprising inner and. outer substantially hemispherical shells recessed at their inner facing side portions, vertical posts pivotally secured at their upper and lower ends within said inner shells, a connecting bridge extending through said recesses and secured at its ends to said posts, means for pivotally supporting said bridge within the dolls head, a weight for turning said bridge on its longitudinal axis to effect an up and down rolling motion of the eyes, and means for effecting a lateral motion of the eyes comprising arms connected with said inner shells, a bar pivoted at its ends to said arms and a weight on said bar.

7. A pair of eyes for a doll and the like, said eyes comprising inner and outer substantially hemispherical shells recessed at their inner facing side portions, vertical posts pivotally secured at their upper and lower ends within said inner shells, a connecting bridge extending through said recesses and secured at its ends to said posts, means for pivotally supporting said bridge within the dolls head, a weight for turning said bridge on its longitudinal axis to effeet an up and down rolling motion of the eyes, and means for effecting a lateral motion of the eyes comprising arms connected with said inner shells, abar pivoted at its ends to said arms and a weight on said bar, and said bar comprising members which are adjustable on each other whereby to regulate the length of the bar.

8.- A pair of eyes for-a doll and the like, a bridge connecting the eyes, a plate having elongated openings through which the bridge freely passes and which plate is adapted to be fastenedto the inner surface of the dolls head, and a spring 'mounted on said plate and engaging said bridge at each side of the center thereof in a direction to yieldingly press the eyes against \the eye- I 

